Package for displaying and protecting brushes



PACKAGE FOR DISPLAYING AND PROTECTING BRUSHES F. J. OBECK Nov. 1, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec.

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Arrow/fr United States Patent PACKAGE FOR DISPLAYING AND PROTECTING BRUSHES Ferdinand J. Obeck, Haddenfield, N.J., assignor to Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company, a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Dec. 11, 1959, Ser. No. 858,905

7 Claims. (Cl. 15-184) This invention relates to storing and displaying of brushes, such as paint brushes or similar brushes, and it has particular relation to storing and displaying brushes in such manner as concurrently to protect them from scuffing and soiling by handling thereof by the customers, while admitting of ready visual and tactile examination thereof.

It has heretofore been customary to store and display for sale purposes brushes, such as paint brushes, by enclosing or encasing them in wrappers or jackets, or by taping them or otherwise securing them upon display cards. Either method has serious disadvantages. The wrappers as ordinarily used, unless removed, prevent such examination. If the brushes are removed from the coverings to facilitate examination, replacement thereof at the conclusion of such examination is often neglected, or is carelessly performed. In any event, the brush on display is subjected to severe handling and scufiing, and soon becomes shop-worn and cannot be sold as first-class merchandise. When the brushes are attached to a card without a jacket or cover, the card is likely to hamper tactile examination of the bristles of the brush.

This invention contemplates the correcting of the foregoing evils in the display of brushes, and as one feature it comprises the provision of a display sheath for a brush, the brush being secured in the sheath by means which permit the bristle portions readily to be projected for visual and tactile examination, while the handle is retained within the sheath. As a further feature, the invention comprises the provision of a device which functions simultaneously as a button-like, slide element permitting the tip portion of the brush knot to be ejected from or retracted within the sheath, but which functions to prevent complete withdrawal of the brush handle from the sheath, except by removing the button from the handle.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may now be had to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of an article of commerce or manufacture comprising a brush displayed upon a card in accordance with the provisions of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an end view of a cover element adapted for securing to a card for purposes of enclosing or encasing a brush upon display.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially upon the line III-III of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an end view illustrating a tubular element of transparent material adapted for enclosing or sheathing a brush which is to be displayed and which can be used with or without a backing card.

Fig. 5 is an elevational view of a modified form of the invention in which the button element projects through a slot in the display card, with parts broken away and shown in section.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary plan view of a modified form of brush andcard assembly as disclosed in Fig. l, embodying the principles of the invention.

Fig. 7 is an elevational view of the structure shown in Fig. 6 with parts broken away and shown in section.

2,958,087 Patented Nov. 1, 1960 Ice Fig. 8 is a schematic view illustrating the use of the button element constituting one feature of the present invention, as means for suspending a paint brush in a container during painting operations.

In the preferred form of the invention, as illustrated in Fig. 1, a backing card 10 having holes 10A for hanging the same upon a rack, is provided and may have imprinted thereupon such legends as the manufacturers name, instructions for operation of the device, advertising, and any other material which may be desired. Such legends are indicated at the top of the card.

Upon the card is secured a bubble or blister-like cover element 11 which, as shown in Fig. 2, is of trough-like section and includes marginal flanges 12 upon sides 13 and end 13A which are connected together by an intermediate or bottom portion 14. The cover element 11 preferably is channel-shaped in section and is formed of transparent material, such as cellulose acetate, or any other appropriate material which is of sufiicient transparency to admit of visual inspection of the brushes to be displayed while they are encased in the sheath or blister formed by the cover element and the backing card. If visual display is not required, it may be formed of opaque material, such as card board. The cover element may be secured to the backing card as by heat sealing, or cementing the portions 12 to the card, or by suitably stapling or riveting said portions in place, or in any other convenient manner. The forward edge of the cover element may be formed with a reinforcing bead 15. This element may be omitted, if desired.

As shown in Fig. 1, the bottom portion 14 is formed with a longitudinally extending slot 16 contiguous to the handle and the function of which will presently be de scribed.

A brush to be displayed is indicated as at 17 and includes a conventional handle portion 18 having a ferrule 19 and a knot of bristles as at 20 disposed in the ferrule and projecting from the latter coaxially with respect to the handle. As shown at 21, the handle is bored contiguous to the slot 16 to receive the stem portion 22 of a button element 23 of springy, resilient material, such as rubber, polyethylene, wood, or of metal, etc. The stem, if desired, may be slotted as at 24 and, if desired, the sides may be divergent to impart a further degree of transverse spring or' resiliency to the stem portion, adapting it to slide within and frictionally to engage the sides of the bore 21 in which it is disposed, thus maintaining the stem from accidental displacement, but permitting it readily to be removed, thus permitting easy removal of the brush for inspection or for use. It may also be provided with a shoulder portion as at 25 designed to prevent the stem from being pushed too far into the bore 21. The shoulder may be of a diameter to fit within slot 16 and thus provides for easy sliding movement of the stem.

The stem is formed with a flared or disc-like head portion 26, which projects beyond the margins of the slot 16, thus preventing the accidental displacement of the stem from the slot. It will be apparent that the head portion 26 in addition to preventing accidental displacement of the stem portion from the slot, also provides a convenient knob which can be pressed or grasped by the prospective customer or the user for purposes of manually sliding the brush in its sheath or blister. By suitably moving the button, the tip portions of the bristles inthe knot can be brought into projected position, indicated by the broken line as at X in Fig. 1. In this position the bristles can be carefully visually inspected and can be felt for purposes of observing the texture and snap or spring thereof, but the brush need not be completely removed from the blister or sheath and the knot or bristle portion can be returned'merely by reversing the movement of the button in the slot 16. Obviously the bristles slide longitudinally in the slot and little or no opportunity for scuffing and deranging the same in the movements of the brush is afforded.

If it is desired completely to remove the brush, the button can be removed from the hole or opening in the handle by exertion of pull or ten-sional force upon the head portion 26. If desired, the button may then be discarded or it can be retained for reinsertion in the handle in case it is desired to store the brush after use for a future occasion. A further use of the same as means for suspending the brush in a paint container will subsequently be illustrated. To this end, one or more additional holes 21A may be provided along the handle, and the button, when not used as a slide element, may be inserted therein.

In the form of the invention as illustrated in Fig. 4, the cover element is formed as a tube 30' of rectangular section which may be open at one or both ends and which preferably is of transparent material, such as cellulose acetate. This tube may be used independently without a card backing, or if preferred, it may be secured as by cementing to the face of a card like that illustrated in Fig. 1. The tube comprises slides 31 and faces 32 and 33, one of which preferably is formed with a slot 34 corresponding to the slot 16 and being adapted for the reception of the stem portion of a button element, slidably securing a brush corresponding to the brush 18 in position.

It will be manifest that instead of forming the slot in the transparent cover element, such as is shown in Fig. 1, it is also feasible to form the same in the backing card, and such construction is illustrated in Fig. in which the cover element is indicated at 36 and corresponds to the cover element 11 shown in Fig. 2. The cover element is secured upon a backing card 37, which is provided with a longitudinally extending slot 38, receiving the stem portion 39 of button 40. The stem portion essentially corresponds to that shown in Fig. 3 and is disposed in a hole or opening 41 in the handle 42 of a brush 43. The handle also has upon its distal end a ferrule 44 retaining a knot or bristle portion 46 of the brush. It will be manifest that when the button is appropriately pushed, the bristle portion 46 can be ejected or retracted from the cover element to permit inspection of the brush. When the stem 39 is retracted from the hole 41, the brush can be completely removed from the cover element in order to permit use of the brush. If desired, it can be inserted in opening 21A.

In the construction illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7, a display assembly is provided comprising a backing card 50 which may be the same as or similar to the card shown in Fig. l. The cover element 51 is formed of transparent material, such as a sheet of cellulose acetate, and may have a sectional configuration similar to that illustrated in Fig. 2, but is provided with a longitudinally extending ridge or corrugation as at 53, which has a slot formed as at 54, for receiving a button element 56 which is secured in the handle 57 of a brush 58. In this construction, the ends of the slot 54 are expanded into the openings 59 and 60 of a diameter which is substantially greater than the diameter of the head of the button 56. When the button is slid in either direction, it will be apparent, as indicated in dotted line at Y, that the button is brought into register with one of the openings and in this position, the space provided by the plastic material in the ridge 53 will permit the handle of the brush further to be withdrawn and, if desired, the entire brush can be removed from the sheath without removing the button from the handle. When it is desired so to assemble the brush and the sheath as to form the composite article, the brush is inserted in the sheath until the button is brought into register with one of the holes or openings 59 or 60. The material of the ridge 53 may then be pressed downwardly as by means of a finger applied at 61, thus permitting the head of the button to pass over the top of the material of the ridge. The brush can then be slid in either direction within the sheath, for example, to the position indicated in Fig. 7, in which instance the top of the ridge is depressed as at 62, and frictionally engages the underside of the button to prevent displacement of the brush, except when substantial force is exerted to slide it within the sheath.

In the construction illustrated, the button is illustrated as having a screw threaded stem portion as at 63, which can be threaded into the handle 57 without the necessity of boring the latter, except perhaps to provide small lead holes. The threads of the screw retain the button in position in the handle, but by appropriately rotating the button, the stem can be withdrawn if desired. In order to facilitate the turning of the stern in order to insert or remove the stem from the handle, the button may be provided with a conventional slot as at 64, permitting the use of a screwdriver or similar instrumentality for purposes of turning the button.

In Fig. 8 the use of the button element, such as 23, 40 or 56, as a means for suspending a brush with the tip portion downwardly in a container, such as a paint can, is illustrated. The can is indicated at 70 and is of conventional design, including side walls 71 and having a ring portion 72 at the top thereof adapted to receive a press-fit lid (not shown). The ring element 72 includes an inner lip 73 providing a trough 74 in which the head portion 78 of a typical button element of a brush 79 can be hooked. For best operation of this construction, it is desirable that the button element be inserted at or near the upper edge of the ferrule 80 of the brush, thus permitting the brush to be suspended with the handle portion 81 projecting well above the container. The tip portions 82 of the brush extend downwardly and may dip in paint material, indicated at P, within the container. This construction is advantageous inasmuch as the brush is retained in suspended position without excessive immersion of the lower portion of the handle. At the same time, the bristle portion of the brush is usually preserved from drying, by reason of its immersion.

If desired, a series of holes, such as the holes 83, may be provided along the length of a handle. The button element may then be removed from any particular hole and transferred to another hole at appropriate position in order to obtain the proper degree of immersion of the bristle portion of the brush without unduly immersing the handle portion.

I claim:

1. As an article of commerce, a package comprising a display card having a brush sheath attached to a face thereof said sheath having an open end, a brush disposed n.9,. in the sheath, said brush comprising a knot portion of' bristles and an elongated handle projecting therefrom, the

tip of the knot portion of bristles projecting toward the open end of the sheath, a longitudinally extending slot formed in the sheath, the ends of the slot being closed, a button having a stem portion disposed in the slot and being secured to the handle, said button having a flared head portion retaining the stem portion in the slot, the brush being longitudinally slideable in the sheath to bring the tip portion of said knot of bristles into projecting position, but being restricted from accidental displacement from the sheath by the button, said stem portion being secured to the handle, but being readily removable in order to permit removal of the brush from the sheath for inspection or for use.

2. As an article of commerce, a package comprising a display card having a channel-shaped brush sheath attached to a face thereof, said sheath having an open end, a brush disposed in the sheath and comprising a knot of bristles, and an elongated handle projecting from said knot of bristles, the tip of said knot projecting toward the open end of the sheath, a longitudinal slot formed in the sheath, the ends of the slot being closed, a hole formed in the handle of the brush, a button comprising a readily compressible stem portion frictionally secured in the hole, said button having a flared head, the brush being longitudinally slideable in the sheath, but being restricted from accidental displacement by said button operating in said slot, said button being readily removable in order to permit removal of the brush from the sheath for inspection or for use.

3. As an article of commerce, a package comprising a display card having a cover element secured thereto and being formed of transparent material and having a channel-shaped section, the margins of the cover being secured to a face of the card to provide a sheath for a brush, said sheath having an open end, a brush having a knot portion of bristles and an elongated handle disposed in the sheath with the tip portion of said knot portion of bristles directed toward the open end of the cover element, a slot formed in one of the walls of the sheath and extending longitudinally thereof, a button having a stem portion of springy material and being secured to the handle of the brush the stem portion being adapted to slide in said slot, said button having a flared head portion preventing accidental displacement of said stem portion from the slot, the button by reason of its springy nature being readily removable from the handle in order to permit removal of the brush from the sheath for inspection or for use.

4. -As an article of commerce, a package comprising a sheath, a paint brush disposed in the sheath and comprising an elongated handle having a knot of bristles mounted upon the distal end thereof and the bristles of the knot of bristles extending coaxially of the handle, a longitudinal slot formed in the sheath and a button element having a stem portion slotted in the tip thereof to give resiliency thereto and extending through the slot in the sheath, and the slotted tip thereof being frictionally held in an opening in the elongated handle, said button having a flared head portion preventing accidental displacement of the stem portion from the opening in the handle, said stem portion by reason of its resiliency, being readily removable in order to permit removal of the brush from the sheath for inspection or for use.

5. As an article of commerce, a package comprising a display card, a transparent cover element secured to the card and being of channel-shaped section and coacting with the card to provide a sheath, a brush disposed in the sheath and comprising an elongated handle, a knot of bristles disposed upon the distal end of the handle, said knot of bristles extending coaxially with respect to the handle, a slot formed longitudinally of the cover element, a button having a stem portion extending through the slot and being secured in an opening formed in the handle and having a flared head portion preventing accidental displacement of the stem from the slot, the tip of said stem portion being slotted to give resiliency, whereby the stem is readily insertable in and removable from the opening in the handle to permit removal of the brush from the sheath for inspection or for use.

6. As an article of commerce, a display package comprising a brush having an elongated handle and a supporting card for said brush, said card having a channelshaped covering element secured thereupon and providing a sheath, the brush being housed in the sheath, a hole formed in said elongated handle, a slot formed in the sheath and extending longitudinally of the handle, and a button element having a resilient stem frictionally engaging in the opening in the handle and a shoulder at the outer end of the stem limiting the degree of insertion of the stem, said shoulder sliding in the slot, and a flared head disposed upon the shoulder and preventing accidental displacement of the shoulder from the slot and providing means manually for sliding the brush in the sheath, said stem being readily insertable in and removable from the hole formed in the handle, whereby to permit ready removal of the brush from the sheath for inspection or for use.

7. As an article of commerce, a backing card and a brush, said brush having an elongated handle and a knot of bristles upon an end of the handle, the brush being disposed in a transparent channel-shaped cover, heat sealed upon the card, said cover having an open end contiguous to the tip of the knot of bristles, a slot formed in the cover contiguous to and extending longitudinally of the handle, said handle having an opening formed therein and a button having a springy stem adapting the stem to be held in the opening by frictional contact and readily to be inserted in or withdrawn from the opening, said stern extending through the slot and being provided with a head whereby the brush can be manually slid in the cover, the button being readily removable in order to perm-it removal of the brush from the cover for inspection or for use.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,674,001 Abram et a1. Apr. 6, 1954 2,816,666 Nadl Dec. 17, 1957 2,874,836 Wertepny Feb. 24, 1959 

